More on wedding planning

No one said wedding planning would be easy. But that doesn't mean it has to take over every free minute. Follow our advice to minimize the stress, keep your inner bridezilla at bay, and still have time for your fiancé, your friends, your family—and yourself.

Wedding Planning: Add, don't subtract.

Instead of beginning the planning process with a complete vision of your dream celebration, start with what's absolutely essential—a license, an officiant, a venue—and build from there, says Stever Robbins, a Boston executive coach. This strategy will help you stay focused and stop you from getting caught up in elaborate, time-intensive details that you may have to cut out later.